Timbaland Faces Backlash for Appearing in AI Artist’s Music Video

Timbaland is facing criticism after appearing in the music video for TaTa Taktumi, a rapper he introduced in June through his new AI-focused label, StageZero. In the video, TaTa performs lines such as, “I put ice on my shooter / he gonna duck immigration / b-tch I’m back now / check my stats now.” When discussing TaTa and StageZero with Variety, Timbaland described her as an intellectual property (IP) and expressed his ambition to build a music franchise. He claimed the video is “85% human-made” and that AI contributed “maybe 15% or less.” After a clip from the video surfaced online, critics blasted Timbaland on social media. One user wrote, “Using AI to create a non-Black artist to embody Black culture just so you can exploit without guilt is fcking insane.”* Another added, “Timbaland destroying his own legacy wasn’t on my 2025 cards.” Timbaland has defended his use of AI, saying that he doesn’t let it replace human creativity. In the Variety interview, he explained that he uses AI as a tool or collaborator, not as the sole creator: “You still need the human element.… If you don’t know music … you’re not going to get what you’re looking for.”

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This week, legendary producer Timbaland is facing backlash after appearing
in a new music video featuring Tata Taktomi, an AI
assisted rapper introduced through his label Stage Zero. In the video,
Tatar raps over a trap beat with lyrics like I

(00:21):
put ice on my shooter, he gonna duc immigration. Timbaland
described Tata as an intellectual property and said the project
is part of his vision to build a music franchise.
According to him, the video is eighty five percent human
made with AI contributing maybe fifteen percent or less, But

(00:44):
that explanation hasn't stopped criticism online. After clips from the
video surfaced, social media users accused Timbaland of using AI
to create a non black artist to profit from black culture,
claimed he was destroying his own legacy. Timbaland responded by

(01:05):
defending his use of AI, saying it's simply a creative tool,
not a replacement for human talent. In a recent interview,
he explained, you still need the human element. If you
don't know music, you're not going to get what you're
looking for. As the debate over AI and music continues,

(01:26):
Timbaland's experiment with Stage Zero is sparking major conversations about
the future of creativity and who gets to profit from it.